Words of Radiance - Brandon Sanderson

Published by Tom Doherty Associates Books/TOR Fantasy: New York, 2014.
Book 2 in 'The Stormlight Archives' series. Preceded by 'The Way of Kings.' Followed by (spin-off) 'Edgedancer' and (main series) 'Oathbringer.'

Well, I finally read the second Stormlight book, this one even longer than the last at a whopping 1080 pages, and once again found myself enjoying Sanderson's world immensely. The plot does take longer than strictly necessary in places - particularly in the storyline following Shallan Davar as she journeys towards the Shattered Plains - but overall is still a page-turner.

By the middle of Words of Radiance our three main characters (Kaladin, Shallan and Adolin) are finally in the same location, something that was never achieved in the first book. In keeping them apart for so long, Sanderson is able to give his readers a real understanding of what makes each character tick, and this becomes quite interesting as when these characters interact and (inevitably) clash, we can understand the perspective of each protagonist and sympathise with their individual takes on each difference of opinion. Kaladin is mistrustful of those in authority, and we understand why. Shallan is not willing to bring others into her inner circle, and we understand why. Adolin is wary of Kaladin in particular and not sure what to make of Shallan, and we understand why. There are moments where I became a little frustrated at the main characters continuing to conceal vital information from one another, but this was simply because I knew that each character should trust the others - the characters themselves did not, so their actions continued to make sense to them.

As with The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance also has 'Interludes' between the different sections of the book, where minor - or even one-off - characters can be introduced (and often dispatched). One of these characters, Lift, is interesting enough that I wouldn't mind a spin-off version. Another character, Eshonai, is also a fascinating addition, giving the perspective of the Parshendi, who are the antagonists of the main storyline.

Once again, everything builds to a dramatic finale, this time so epic in its scope that, if it weren't for a few character beats and the knowledge that a sequel exists, I could have believed that this book marked the end of the series as a whole.

Still a very enjoyable read, as most Sanderson books I have read seem to be.

Completed 26 July 2023.


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